Friday, 13 June 2014

DIY dim sum

Every time I go past a foreign supermarket in London I have to go inside and explore. I regularly go to my local Turkish store to pick up all the unusual ingredients in Ottolenghi's cookbooks for a fraction of the price jumping-on-the-bandwagon supermarkets charge. But this recipe was inspired by a wander through a Chinese supermarket off Piccadilly Circus. I found a packet of dumpling circles for £1.20, and wondered if it was impossible to use them to make one of my favourite kinds of dim sum - Yauatcha's sticky vegetable dumplings:

So my version don't exactly look the same... But they do taste great. The dim sum pastry circles (there's a recipe here if you're not as lazy as me) transform into a really delicious party, lunch snack or starter for a dinner party. Mine's vegetarian - I love the crunch of fresh veg, and mix them with garlic and ginger, but you can add minced or shredded chicken, pork, beef or whatever else you fancy. You can also choose whether to boil or steam the dumplings, or fry them. They're crispier if fried, but the tangy vegetables' taste comes through more when steamed or boiled.Here goes:Chinese dumplingsIngredients (makes 12 dumplings)Dumpling pastry - homemade or shop-bought like theseOne carrot, thinly grated or cut into tiny cubesOne onion, again cut into tiny cubes

Five mushrooms, cut into small pieces

Teriyaki sauce (or soy if preferred)

Two cloves garlic

Couple of shavings of ginger

(You can also add any other desired veg, like courgette, butternut squash, etc - just ensure it's cut into tiny cubes)

Sesame oil

Fry off the onions and garlic in a table spoon of sesame oil

Add the ginger and the rest of the vegetables, stir and cook for 3-5 minutes on a high light - until browned but still with bite. Then stir in 2 tablespoons of teriyaki or soy sauce -the former is sweeter.

Lay out a dumpling and spoon one and a half teaspoons' worth of veg into the middle.Fold the edges together, then press with a fork to seal. Ensure fully sealed, especially if steaming or boiling, as your filling will fall out otherwise.

Now, either fry on each side in a hot, oiled frying pan for 3 minutes per side, or steam/boil for about 3 minutes.